


The World Will Remember Us

by schmulte



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-01-16 07:26:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18516715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schmulte/pseuds/schmulte
Summary: Hiccstrid Bonnie and Clyde AU, based loosely on the musical.When car trouble brings Astrid Hofferson and Hiccup Haddock together, they immediately fall in love. Growing up in dustbowl-era Berk, Astrid is a young waitress who longs for a life where she is free to be herself, and Hiccup is a dog-loving small time crook who steals to help the poor. When their crimes escalate from robbery to murder, these lovers on the run make national headlines.





	1. Prologue: Picture Show

_Today we come to you with breaking news. The notorious crime duo, Hiccup Haddock and Astrid Hofferson, were gunned down by police officials at five o’clock this evening. They were ambushed while they were driving to visit their parents for Snoggletog. Mr. Haddock was killed instantly with a bullet to the chest, while Ms. Hofferson, who was in the driver’s seat at the time, was killed five minutes after, with six bullets to the torso. They will be buried together at the Berk Community Cemetery this Friday, with a service sponsored by the parents…_

(…) 

Age 11 

"Astrid Hofferson! You get yourself back inside right now!” 

Astrid looked up from her hiding place, fine black dress covered in mud as she scrambled to avoid her mother. 

“I don’t want to go back inside! I can’t stand to see him like that.” 

Her mother sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Astrid was always a difficult child, headstrong and stubborn like her father, but at a time like this… 

“Astrid, it’s your father’s funeral. Please, for once, don’t be so stubborn.” 

“He’s not dead! I refuse to believe it!” 

The older woman grabbed her daughter’s arm roughly and pulled her back towards the church. 

“Just five more minutes in here and then we can go. But you’d better have your stuff packed up, we’re moving in with your Uncle Finn.” 

“We’re moving to Berk?” Astrid pulled a face. “everyone says that place is the dumping grounds of the Archipelago.” 

“Now I don’t want to hear that kind of talk. You should be grateful to your Uncle for taking us in. Your father, Odin bless his soul, was not keen on saving and we can’t afford to keep the house without him. Now get inside.” 

(…) 

“Hiccup Haddock! Back inside, now!” 

Hiccup grinned up at his father, auburn hair wild and mud smeared on his cheeks as he laughed with his dog. 

“Five more minutes, dad!” He aimed his toy gun at the ground, winking at Toothless. “Just you watch, bud. One day I’m gonna have enough money to buy a real gun, and a nice big bone for you to chew on.” 

“Now, Hiccup!” 

Age 15 

“You’re too young to get married, Astrid!” 

Mrs. Hofferson followed her daughter outside, watching her huff and cross her arms. 

“I’m fifteen, momma! I’m of legal age! And Eret promised he’d get me out of Berk.” 

“Now what is so bad about Berk that you want to get out so bad?” 

Astrid rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in exasperation. 

“I want to do something with my life! I can’t just sit around this little town and go to book clubs and brunches; I want to make something of myself!” 

“You can make something of yourself in Berk. Unmarried.” 

“Ugh!” 

(…) 

“Officers, what seems to be the problem?” 

Stoick scowled down at his son, cheeks red as his shoulders were gripped hard by the police officer behind him. Hiccup hung his head in shame, unable to meet his father’s eye. 

“Hey, dad…” he winced as the police officer squeezed his shoulder harder. 

“I caught him stealing. And then once I had him, he sicked his ugly mutt on me so he could escape.” The officer accentuated is statement by aiming a kick at the large black dog that was standing dutifully at Hiccup’s feet. Hiccup lunged forward, blocking the dog from the kick. 

“Don’t hurt Toothless!” 

Hiccup’s father sighed as his son earned himself a smack from the police officer, landing him to the ground. Toothless yelped in concern and attended to his owner, from the waist of his shirt up to his face. Hiccup laughed a little and gently shoved the dog off him. 

“Toothless, you know that doesn’t come out!” 

Stoick cleared his throat and addressed the officer. 

“Sir, I’m sure my son didn’t mean any harm, and this is his first offense. If you leave him with me, I promise he will be punished accordingly.” 

The officer eyed Hiccup with disgust and spat in the dirt. 

“Fine. But if I catch him again, he goes downtown.” 

“I appreciate it officer.” 

The police officer climbed back in his car, calling “and get that mutt a leash!” as he drove away. Hiccup stood and gave Toothless an affectionate pat before slowly lifting his head to meet his father’s heated gaze. 

“Dad I-“ 

“Just once, Hiccup! Just once, can’t you do as you’re told?” 

“I didn’t mean to, dad. There were some hungry kids on the street, I couldn’t just let them starve. And Toothless was just protecting me.” 

Stoick pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out. His son had a good heart for wanting to help people, but every time he tried to help he ended up getting himself into trouble. The boy never did as he was told, and it drove him crazy. 

“I need you to look out for yourself, son. It’s nice that you want to help, but you won’t help anyone by getting yourself arrested. Just please, for once in your life, listen to me. No more of this vigilante stuff, understand?” 

Hiccup opened his mouth to speak, but he decided against it and nodded. An argument with Stoick the Vast would always be pointless. The man’s opinions were set in stone, and no amount of convincing would change that. 

“Okay dad.” 

“That’s my boy. Now go inside and help your mother with dinner before she burns the house down.”


	2. Car Troubles

Present, Age 20 

The ding of the cash register snapped Astrid out of her daydream, bringing her back to the bleak reality of the diner. It was slow, as usual, and she put on a fake smile as she poured coffee into a dozing customer's mug. He grunted in his sleep, pulling the coffee cup in closer to his body. She sighed and wiped her hands on her apron. It was covered in stains from the breakfast service that morning, eggs and flour covering the freshly ironed red fabric. She had barely made enough tips to cover the price to wash the apron. At this rate, she'd have enough to buy a new one in a month. If she still had her job by then. Business was getting slower and slower, and it was only a matter of time before her boss would have to make cutbacks. Astrid would be the first to go, she knew. But she was so close to saving enough money for a train ticket out of Berk, only a month or two and she'd be set. Odin knows she couldn't take her car, the thing was a hunk of junk fit to combust any second now. 

Another bell pulled Astrid from her thoughts, a reminder that her shift was over. She pulled the apron off and dusted off her dress, making her way to where she had parked the car. It took a couple tries to get the engine running, and even more effort to actually get the car to actually move. Astrid felt a little optimistic as she drove down the dirt road, daydreaming about what life would be like away from Berk. It was a good daydream, a nice vision of her future, but it was cut short by the hood of her car smoking and sputtering to a stop. Astrid groaned and rested her head against the wheel. This was going to be a long drive home. 

(...) 

"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, you are hereby found guilty on two charges of petty theft and one account of grand theft auto. You will be sentenced to four years in Berk County Jail, and will be escorted from this courthouse immediately following sentencing." 

Those were the words that ran through Hiccup's head over and over as he ran through the dirt streets of Berk. He had ditched his prison uniform hours ago and picked up the emergency clothes he had stashed at the side of the road, shirt full of moth holes and shoes full of holes, but it beat the prison colors. He had spent months planning his escape, memorizing when the guards changed and how long their breaks were, which ones had guns and which ones didn't. He had figured out the mechanics of the lock in a day and spent a week making a proper lock pick. Then there was getting out of the yard. He memorized the exact time to the second when the floodlights were turned on, escaping without a minute to spare. The tops of the fences were covered in barbed wire, but being able to detach his leg made it easier to maneuver over without getting caught on the barbs. The prosthetic was a blessing in disguise- making the lock pick could be disguised as fiddling with the mechanics of his leg, and most of the guards didn't want to hurt a cripple. It was nice quality, too, and the running wasn't rubbing his stump like it usually did. Prison was awful, but he had to say, the health care was decent. He was just lucky he didn't end up at Outcast prison, that place was a real Helhole. It made Berk County look like kindergarten. 

Somewhere along the way, Toothless had joined him, running along on his three legs to keep with his owner's pace. The dog had waited outside the prison every day since Hiccup had been sentenced, and had practically launched himself at Hiccup when he saw him. Hiccup was happy to have his best bud and his freedom back, but right now, they needed to get to the safe house before they got caught. Now, that was a problem. While the prosthetic was good quality, his leg would still become sore soon. All the running would be a lot of strain on anyone, but especially Hiccup and his three-legged dog. A car, he needed to find a car...but where? 

He skidded to a halt as he saw smoke, walking cautiously around. There was a girl in a waitress uniform, angrily pounding on the hood and shouting obscenities while the car smoked. He put on a charming smile and walked forward with Toothless, clearing his throat. The girl whipped around angrily, blonde braid almost hitting him in the face, and Hiccup froze. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, nostrils flaring and pink lips in an angry pout as she balled her fists. 

"What?" she snarled, and Hiccup almost swooned right there. Gods, her voice was like music. She was a Valkyrie fallen straight from Valhalla, and he was helpless at her mercy. Toothless made a questioning noise and nudged Hiccup forward, the man stumbling a bit as he tried to find his words. 

"I uh-um. C-car trouble? I can uh. I can fix it, if you want." 

Astrid squinted suspiciously at the stranger, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. He looked dirty and disheveled, auburn hair sticking up all over the place, but he had a cute, lopsided grin and beautiful eyes. And damn that slightly nasal southern drawl, the fact that it immediately turned her knees to jelly was frankly unfair. Focus, Astrid. He was a stranger, after all. 

"Do I know you?" 

Hiccup laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head. 

"Nope-no, uh, you don't. I'm uh, I just moved back actually. I was um. Out of town before, and now I'm, uh, back." 

"Right...but you can fix my car?" 

"Yes! I'm not, y'know, a mechanic, but I'm pretty good with machines." 

"I don't have any money. I can't pay you." 

"That's okay! I just need a lift home once the car's fixed. If you, uh, don't mind." 

Astrid scanned her eyes up and down the man's body. He was tall and lanky, but there was thin muscle in his arms, hidden power underneath all the bones. He leaned slightly to his right side, a wolf-like black dog nuzzling into his palm. The sight was kind of endearing. 

"Okay. You can give it a shot. Not like you could damage it more." 

Hiccup offered her that crooked grin and stuck out his hand. 

"Name's Hiccup." 

Astrid held back a snort. 

" _Hiccup?_ What kind of name is that?" 

Hiccup shrugged, seemingly unbothered by Astrid's adverse reaction to his name. 

"Unfortunately, my real one. Parents thought it would scare off gnomes and trolls." 

"And does it?" 

"Haven't been attacked by one yet. And what about you, Ms...?" 

Astrid took his hand, trying not to be startled by the jolt of electricity that shot up her spine. His hands were big and calloused and warm, and her palm seemed to fit perfectly inside of his. 

"Astrid. Astrid Hofferson." 

Hiccup tipped an imaginary hat. 

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." The dog at his side barked impatiently, coming up to sniff Astrid's legs. 

"Ah, and this big baby is Toothless. Toothless, Astrid." 

Astrid let out a tinkling laugh- gods, it was music to Hiccup's ears- and let the dog sniff her palm. 

"Why is he named Toothless? Looks like he has plenty of teeth to me." 

Hiccup shrugged and walked over to the car, taking a look under the hood as he talked. 

"I found him as a stray when he was a puppy. He had lost all his baby teeth at once, so I named him Toothless." 

Astrid hummed and sat down on the edge of the road, giving the dog a scratch behind the ears. He seemed to take to her right away, licking and nuzzling her while she watched Hiccup work. He had the most intense look of concentration on his face as he fiddled with the engine, sweat beading on his brow and green eyes narrowed and focused. Every so often, he would move his torso over the hood of the car in a certain way, and Astrid would catch a glimpse of his stomach as his shirt rode up, spotting just a hint of abdominal muscle before it would come back down. He also had the most _fantastic_ ass, and it took almost all of her willpower to not reach out and grab a handful. 

After almost an eternity of staring at that perfect ass, Hiccup straightened up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His thin shirt was damp and it clung to his torso like a second skin, outlining the taut muscles of his stomach just right- 

"Uh, Astrid? You okay?" 

Hiccup waved a hand over her face and she came back to reality, shooting him a disarming smile. 

"I'm fine. Is the car all fixed?" 

"I can't guarantee she'll run forever, but it'll be enough for a couple days at least." 

"Thanks." 

"My pleasure, Milady." 

Astrid leaned forward to look closer at Hiccup's smiling face. His freckles looked almost gold in sunlight, and lips were slightly chapped but they looked oh so inviting as he talked, she just needed to lean in another inch, just another inch- 

They were interrupted by the wail of a siren coming from the road beside them and Hiccup yelped and dove to hide behind Astrid's car. He waited until the noise faded away before slowly coming out from behind the car. Astrid stood up and folded her arms across her chest, cocking her hip to the side. Hiccup squirmed under her scrutinizing stare, fidgeting and carding a hand through his hair. 

"I uh. I just really hate police sirens." 

Toothless made a noise that sounded almost like a scoff, and Astrid swore that if he had the ability to roll his eyes she was certain he would have. 

"Right. I don't buy it. Spill." 

Hiccup sighed trying to desperately think of a good lie. He really didn't want to scare off the pretty girl in front of him, and he really really didn't want to go back to prison. 

"They're after you, aren't they?" Astrid assessed. Hiccup gave a small, silent nod, red coloring his cheeks. 

"I um. I may have escaped from jail." 

"What were you in for?" 

"Petty theft, uh, mostly. I used to steal old bread from the bakery and give it to homeless kids. I've been doing it for years, but this time I got caught." 

"What changed this time?" 

Hiccup cracked a small bashful grin, chuckling a little. 

"I got chased down by the cops and stole a car to get away. Turns out, I'm a lot better at fixing cars than actually driving them." He reached down and rapped against his left calf, the sound coming out hollow and metallic. "As evidenced by my lack of limbs." 

It took Astrid a moment to process. When she was able to collect her thoughts, she stood up a little straighter, determined not to let the cute boy in front of her get into her head. 

"You crashed?" 

Hiccup's grin widened and he bent down to rub a demanding toothless behind the years. 

"Yep. Right into a ditch. I barely made it fifty feet away, but I was going way too fast and I my leg got twisted around real weird when the car flipped. Completely shattered, unsavable. The jail was nice enough to make me a prosthetic though. And now we match, don't we bud?" He scratched a spot underneath Toothless's chin, the dog leaning in and barking. 

Astrid took in the scene before her. This man was a criminal, an escaped convict, wanted by the police. But he was so handsome and charming and sweet and that stupid smile made Astrid feel things that she hadn't felt in a long time. She couldn't stand it anymore,watching as this irritatingly handsome stranger played with his three-legged dog, babbling on about something that she had stopped paying attention to. It was just to much to handle. Astrid marched herself over to Hiccup, pulled him up by the front of his shirt, and crashed her mouth against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay, I never planned on writing another AU but I couldn't resist! Please pay attention to the archive warnings and tags, I will make sure to reiterate warnings in the notes before chapters that contain them. Just for continuity's sake, Berk in this story is considered a "western" area on the Archipelago in the story (Bonnie and Clyde are originally from Texas), just go with it. It's really just an excuse for southern gentleman Hiccup. As always, feel free to comment, and kudos are appreciated! I hope you enjoy this story, and I will continue to post updates in the drabbles collection as I write this fic.


	3. As Milady Commands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little tiny bit NSFW, but nothing too graphic.

Hiccup sat cross legged on his bed, eyes laser focused on the sight in front of him. Astrid lay on her stomach reading a book, Hiccup's dress shirt around her shoulders the only thing to cover her modesty, blonde hair long since removed from its braid cascading down her back and onto the bed sheets. It made Hiccup's heart pound in his chest as he sketched, wanting to capture the moment perfectly so he could hold it in his heart forever. She was beautiful, a blessing sent down to him by Freya herself. They had only known each other for a couple hours, but Hiccup could already feel himself falling fast. She was smart and fierce as she was beautiful, with a quick tongue that never hesitated to put him in his place. She was just what he needed, someone who didn't care about his past and saw him for the man he really was. She saw beyond the petty theft and the escaped convict, and sometimes when she looked at him, he thought that Astrid was staring into his very soul. He looked into her eyes and saw his equal, someone he wanted to live for. She already had him wrapped around her finger, and he willingly allowed it to happen. He would do anything she asked; he would steal for her, fight for her, kill for her if he had to. Anything to keep this goddess by his side. 

Astrid peeked out from under her bangs and cast him a sideways glance. God, he really was in love. Those puppy dog eyes were narrowed as he sketched in his notebook, charcoal smearing his left hand. He had adopted a lovesick expression every time he looked at her, and it made Astrid's chest feel warm and her knees go weak. If only her mother could see her now, sprawled on a practical stranger's bed in nothing but his discarded shirt. She would have had a heart attack at the sight. But Astrid didn't care. She had never felt anything like how she did by the man beside her, not even with Eret. She couldn't call it love yet, it was too soon, but it was the beginnings of it. As soon as he flashed her that crooked grin the first time they met, Astrid was hooked. It had taken a bit of convincing to get Hiccup to come to bed with her, the gentleman that he was asking again and again for assurance of "is this okay, am I hurting you." It was sweet and...different. She was used to men being more demanding and rough, not caring about her pleasure or comfort. But Hiccup...he had been nothing but gentle and seemed to enjoy giving her pleasure, insisting she finish before he did. It was a breath of fresh air and Astrid couldn't get enough of it in her lungs. 

"What are you drawing?" 

The question made Hiccup jump, pulling him from his focus. The sight had Astrid biting back a laugh. He was such a dork, all gangly limbs and stuttering and clumsiness. It was part of the irresistible charm that had Astrid falling faster by the minute. Hiccup tried to regain his composure, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. It was a nervous tick, Astrid observed, that he used when he was nervous. He was blushing again, making his freckles stand out against scarlet cheeks. Astrid wanted to kiss that blush off of his face. 

"It's uh. I-it's nothing, really. Just uh, some stupid drawing, it's not even that good-" 

"Can I see?" 

Hiccup was unable to deny her request when she sat up, his almost see-through dress shirt hanging open to expose her creamy white skin that Hiccup had been placing kisses all over not even an hour ago. His mouth hung agape as he stared, at a loss for words, as Astrid closed his mouth with one hand and grabbed the journal with another. Slender fingers traced the page, blue eyes drifting over the drawing. It was beautiful really- a sketch of herself reading just as she had been minutes ago. It was really more beautiful than she thought she deserved, the picture Astrid more beautiful and angelic. Hiccup seemed to find his words again, reaching for the notebook. 

"I-I know, it's bad. Drawing's more of a hobby anyway, it doesn't really do you any justice-" 

"It's beautiful." Astrid whispered. Green eyes went wide, mouth hanging open again. 

"W-what?" 

"Hiccup, this is...amazing." She placed a hand on his scruffy chin and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." 

That blush got darker as Hiccup fumbled with his words, completely in shock. 

"I, uh. It's my pleasure, really. I really liked drawing you." 

Astrid smirked and set down the journal to crawl forward towards Hiccup. She watched him swallow as she placed herself in his lap, his shaking hands moving unconsciously to grip her waist as she draped her arms around his neck. The blonde vixen traced light kisses along his jaw, enjoying the feel of his blush hot against her cheek. 

"I'll have to pose for you next time." 

Even flustered, Hiccup was still able to be so damn sarcastic, smiling as he pressed a feather light kiss to her lips. 

"You want to pose so I can draw you? Oh Milady, you are so in love." 

"Shut up and kiss me." She accentuated her command with a sharp tug on his hair, and his half lidded gaze was so gods-damned charming, she had to do something about it. He ran a hand up her back, rough hands warm against her as he pulled her in for another kiss. 

"Mmm. As Milady commands." 

(...) 

"I should really head home." 

Hiccup made a whine of protest, his arm coming to pull her in tighter against his chest. His skin was sticky against her cheek and his arm was possessively wrapped around her bare waist, his dress shirt now joined with their other discarded clothes on the floor. His eyes were closed as he grunted, relishing in the feeling of the blonde in his arms. 

"Stay." 

"My momma will be wondering where I am." 

Hiccup whined again, shifting underneath her to press a kiss to her hair. 

"Stay with me tonight. Please." 

"I'll be back tomorrow. I promise." 

She reluctantly pulled herself out of his grip and stood to find her clothes. She heard Hiccup sigh behind her as he zipped the back of her dress for her, pressing a scorching kiss to her shoulder. She turned around and helped button his dress shirt as his thumbs rubbed soothing circle on her hips. Thank the gods he had remembered to stash some decent clothes in the safe house, otherwise he'd be stuck in his hole-infested shirt and raggedy shoes. She finished buttoning his shirt and placed a soft kiss to his throat. 

"C'mon, babe. We've gotta go." 

(...) 

They arrived back at Astrid's house with the car still in one piece. Hiccup was wound up when they arrived, Astrid's hand drifting over to his lap throughout the ride and teasing him. They arrived inside-the lights were off thank the gods-and he immediately had her pressed against the door, hands roaming her waist and lips placing biting kissed along her throat. She gasped and pressed into him, rubbing her knee between his legs and he hissed, pulling her closer to him. 

"You will be the death of me, woman." 

"Astrid? Is that you, sweetheart?" 

"Shit-" Astrid pushed Hiccup off her and adjusted her dress as the lights flickered on. Astrid mother frowned at the man who stood a little ways behind her, hands respectfully at his sides as she folded her arms. 

"And who is this?" her mother asked. Astrid put on a strained smile and gestured to the flustered man behind her. 

"Momma, this is Hiccup Haddock. He's a cousin of my friend Ruffnut." 

Hiccup gave Astrid's mother a crooked smile and a polite nod as he played along with the lie. 

"Evening, Mrs. Hofferson." 

Astrid's mother raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. 

"Why are you in my house at this time of night?" 

"I uh-" 

He was cut off by a jab to the ribs from Astrid, warning him to let her do the talking. 

"He's passing through. On his way to Berserk to get a job as a mechanic." 

That seemed to do the trick, Astrid's mother visibly relaxing and weakening her stare at the very frightened Hiccup. 

"A mechanic, huh?" 

"Yes ma'am." 

"Not many men have a job these days. You should consider yourself very lucky." 

He couldn't help it, those wide green eyes stealing a glance at Astrid, beautiful as ever in the dim light of the lamp her mother had lit. 

"I do, ma'am." His eyes caught a glimpse of wood on the couch and his eyes lit up. "Oh, hey, who plays the uke?" 

Astrid and her mother came to sit on the couch as Hiccup strummed a few notes on the ukulele, face bright with a smile. 

"My husband, Odin rest his soul." 

Hiccup nodded solemnly, holding the ukulele carefully in his big hands. 

"May the Valkyries sing his name from Valhalla." 

"How did you learn to play?" Astrid questioned. Seeing Hiccup play the instrument with his nimble fingers made her think of _other_ things he could do with those fingers, and she was desperate to change the subject before the fire in her belly consumed her. Hiccup seemed to pick up on it and gave her a knowing smile. He couldn't tease her in front of her mother, he knew that, so he played along. 

"My mom taught me. She always liked artsy kinda stuff. And I've always been good with my hands." 

Okay, maybe he could tease her a little bit. Astrid bit her lip and looked down so her mother wouldn't see the blush that was creeping up towards her cheeks. Hiccup just smiled that sweet smile, unconcerned. Astrid's mother stood up from the couch, her final judgement passed. 

"Well, Mr. Haddock. You may sleep on the sofa. There's an extra sheet in the bedroom, I'm afraid we don't have a blanket or a pillow for you." 

"That's alright, ma'am." 

Mrs. Hofferson turned to her blushing daughter with a stern look. 

"Astrid, I expect you up shortly." 

"Yes, mama-" 

"Almost immediately." 

"Ma-" 

"Your husband will be home you know." 

The older woman turned and stomped up the stairs, leaving the couple alone. The smile instantly fell from Hiccup's face and guilt churned in Astrid's stomach. 

"You're married...?" Hiccup almost whispered it, setting the uke down on the table as Astrid hastened towards him. "That's something you should tell a guy-" 

"I _had_ a husband." Astrid assured him, hands coming out to take his own. "He went to jail about three years ago." 

Hiccup raised an eyebrow, but he let Astrid take his hands, seeming to calm a little. 

"Is he still there?" 

Astrid bit her lip and glanced down at her shoes. Suddenly, the floor became a very interesting thing to look at. 

"Well...no-" Hiccup pulled away from her and sat on the couch, holding his head in his hands. Astrid sighed and followed, sitting down to straddle his waist. She saw his Adam's apple rise and fall as she settle atop him, one leg on either side of his. 

"But he's not coming back and I don't want him back. I want you, Hiccup." She placed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "And is that really what you want to talk about now?" 

"Well, I-" 

He was cut off with a kiss, Astrid's lips urgent against his as her hands cupped his cheeks. Every time he pulled away to speak he was drawn back in. 

"I'm serious-" 

He gave in after that, arms coming to wrap around Astrid's slender waist as she rocked against him, barely stopping to take a breath. Astrid's hand went down to fiddle with his belt buckle, not caring that her mother could come in at any time, she needed him now- 

Unfortunately, the gods had other plans as the sound of approaching sirens came closer to the house. Hiccup jumped and pulled Astrid off him, re-adjusting his clothes and taking the ukulele. He planted frantic kisses to her lips as he hastened himself, hands coming out to push hers from his hair. 

"Meet me tomorrow-mmph-eight o'clock. 145-mmm-Nadder street. Whistle-mmm, Ast- or throw something. I gotta go-" 

He gave her one last fleeting kiss before running out the door. She heard Toothless barking from outside as the sirens faded and she leaned against the door breathless. What had she gotten herself into?


	4. Sixteen Years Dying Slowly

Astrid had started spending her nights regularly at Hiccup's house. She had arrived the morning after their fateful night together, eight o'clock sharp as he had requested. She threw a rock at the window and he had welcomed her inside with open arms and even more open lips. She hadn't gone more than a day without seeing him since. She was his muse, filling the pages of his notebooks and the holes in his heart. He was an addict, drawn in by her burning touch and soft smiles, quick wits and soft curves. Black tar heroin with lips, that's what she was. There was no going cold turkey, no rehab he could check himself into. He was hooked for life and wouldn't stop until he overdosed. 

He had grown more daring with his thefts, stealing a car (more successfully this time) for Astrid, robbing a grocery store and emptying the till. He never kept more than a couple dollars for himself, instead distributing the money among the poor and sending a small sum back to his parents. He stole gifts for Astrid, fine clothes and baubles to place in her braids. She was never one for material things, but Hiccup enjoyed spoiling her, and she let him. He would always whisper promises in her ear after they made love, dreams of a nice house and Sunday clothes every day of the week. Astrid would always gently remind him that she didn't need those things to be happy- she just needed him. Hiccup allowed her to be herself when no one else did. He loved that she could be hot-headed and stubborn and could easily take him in a fight. He didn't demand she wear frilly lace and do nothing but bake pies and go to book clubs. She was more herself than she had been in years, and she repaid Hiccup for that feeling every day with sweet kisses and gentle touches. 

A month passed before he was caught. Hiccup had gone to a small retail store with his gun and demanded the safe be opened. One of the shoppers had tried to be a hero and ran out to get the police. The officers had come in, threatening to shoot. Hiccup could have taken them down easily, he was an expert marksman, but he refused to shoot and instead put the gun down and offered his hands. It frustrated Astrid to no end as she sat and watched the trial with his parents at her side. He didn't have to kill anyone, he could have just fired a warning shot and made a run for it. But her gentle, sweet Hiccup refused to put anyone in harm's way. He had only loaded the gun at Astrid's insistence- he usually kept it empty, just to scare people- but she wanted him protected. And now, as his mother wept at her side, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen to him now. 

He still looked handsome as ever, all cocky smiles and disheveled auburn hair, green eyes twinkling as he stood before the judge. He was still in his nice clothes from the day before, white button down and black slacks that hugged that perfect ass just right. He had been polite the whole time, even as the policemen hit him upside the head and locked his wrists in tight, rusted handcuffs "for the safety of the court." He took it all in stride, turning around to offer Astrid a wink every so often. She clutched Valka's hand tight as the judge returned from his deliberation, Hiccup rising to stand before him now. The judge cleared his throat and stared down at the man before him, a snarl on his lips as he spoke. 

"Hiccup Horrendous the Haddock III, you have been found guilty on the charge of evading a prison sentence, two accounts of armed robbery, and one count of auto theft. The required charge for these offenses is two years each, but the court has decided this punishment is not sufficient for a serial criminal such as yourself. Therefore, your jail time will be doubled. I sentence you to sixteen years of hard labor in Outcast State Penitentiary. You will be escorted directly from this courthouse immediately following sentencing and may apply for appeal in four year's time. Court dismissed." 

The room erupted into chaos at the sound of the gavel hitting the desk. Valka had started sobbing and had to be held back by her husband as the officers grabbed Hiccup by the arms and began dragging him from the courtroom. Astrid bounded over her seat and ran after them as he struggled and protested. She reached out to him and was subsequently pulled back by a police officer, grip tight on her arms as she tried to pull from his grasp. 

"Hiccup!" 

Wild green eyes met hers and he thrashed violently against his restraints, metal foot dragging on the ground for traction. 

"Astrid! I'm so sorry, Milady- promise you'll wait for me!" 

"I will! I promise!" 

With a final, parting look, Hiccup was dragged from the courthouse, his mother's cries and the pounding of the gavel ringing in Astrid's ears as he was whisked away to serve his sixteen year sentence in Outcast State Penitentiary.


	5. Raise a Little Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of violence, mentions of/implied rape, blood  
> If you feel uncomfortable reading this chapter, I will provide a quick recap in the notes before chapter 6 so you can skip without missing anything important.  
> I also recommend listening to "Raise a Little Hell" from Bonnie and Clyde the musical while you read this chapter (Jeremy Jordan has the voice of an angel).

It had been a month since the sentencing. A month without Hiccup. Thirty days without crooked smiles and calloused hands, thirty days since he had been whispering sweet nothings in her ear and making promises he couldn't keep. Astrid had taken to caring for Toothless- he was a sweet dog who liked her well enough, and it made her feel closer to Hiccup. The big black dog didn't seem to understand where his owner was. Every morning he would wait patiently at the door, waiting for his master to come back. He never did, and Toothless would be back in his dog bed by nightfall, whimpering pathetically. Astrid felt sorry for the poor mutt and spoiled him greatly with belly rubs and treats, but it never dulled the ache in either of their hearts. 

Hiccup had left her and his parents with a small sum of money to live on while he was gone, an insurance policy he had stashed away under his mattress should something happen to him. It kept Astrid from having to find work (the diner had fired her a week after the trial) and kept Toothless in good bacon. It was a testament to the good man that Hiccup really was, making sure his loved ones were provided for even when he was behind bars. He wasn't a serial criminal- he was just a man who saw people in need and did whatever he could to help. And if giving them that help broke the law, it was well worth it in Astrid's eyes. 

She split her time between her mother's house and the Haddock's, meeting Valka every Sunday for tea and bringing over home cooked meals whenever she could. Hiccup had told her before that his mother was a menace in the kitchen and was hopeless without her son to help her. Valka was always appreciative, trading stories about her son with the woman he loved. His father was certainly not what Astrid had expected- a hulking mass of a man with fiery red hair and a stern expression. He certainly lived up to his name. Stoick always offered Astrid his thanks for loving his son so fiercly as she was leaving the house, but never said more than that. She could tell the man was upset about what had happened, but he refused to show it. He just offered meaty handshakes and his thanks, green eyes with a hint of sadness behind them. 

Astrid made sure to write in her journal every day, detailing everything that she could remember about the day's events. She wanted Hiccup to feel like he hadn't missed anything, wanted to remember everything that had happened since he went away. She had tried to visit once, a week after the trial. She was stopped at the front door by the guards- Hiccup had been insubordinate, picking fights with the guards and other prisoners. He wasn't allowed visitors. Astrid knew this was a lie, that the guards must have been either hiding something or punishing Hiccup for no good reason- maybe it was a both. There was no way that her lover had been picking fights, it was against his nature and it filled the blonde with rage at his treatment. Despite her numerous complaints and threats to the warden, both written and verbal, there was no indication of when she would be allowed to see him. So she wrote the journal, intending to bring it with her the next time she visited. If she was even allowed inside. 

She returned from a long visit to the Haddock's, an inedible pie in her hands that Valka had gifted, briskly walking past her mother. Their relationship had become strained since she had discovered who Hiccup really was, forbidding her daughter from even thinking about "that criminal." Her mother cleared her throat and folded her arms over her chest as Astrid turned to meet her icy stare. 

"That Snotlout Jorgensen came by to see you. But you weren't here." 

Astrid merely shrugged and wiped her hands on the front of her dress. 

"I went to visit the Haddocks. Valka baked us a pie." 

Mrs. Hofferson's eyes narrowed at her uninterested daughter. Astrid stood her ground, blue meeting blue, both sets of identical eyes narrowed. 

"You need to give up on that...that criminal. Sixteen years is a long time to wait. It's selfish of him to ask you to wait." 

"I love him, momma." Astrid blurted out. Her mother's gaze intensified, a snarl at her thin lips. 

"You hardly know him! Snotlout is a good man, he can provide for you, you need to at least give him a chance-" 

"There will never be anyone else but him, momma! He's the only man I will never love again." 

She was met with a swift slap to the face, cheek burning red as she pressed a hand to it. 

"Ungrateful girl! You need to stop these selfish fantasies and find yourself a decent man!" 

Astrid ignored her mother and gathered up her coat and keys, swiftly making her way to the door. Her mother screamed behind her, demanding to know what she thought she was doing, where she was doing. She whistled for Toothless and signaled him to get in the car. She would visit Hiccup today, and anyone who tried to stop her was a dead man. 

(...) 

Hiccup was dumped unceremoniously to the floor, hands coming out to stop himself a split second before his face would have met the stone floor. He breathed heavily, cold air coming in through the holes in his clothes, something wet and sticky seeping into the back of his trousers. He wheezed in a rattling breath that twinged his broken ribs, crawling away from the guards that leered over him as he stuttered. 

"Y-you gotta keep that guy away from me!" 

The guards laughed, flashing twin mocking smiles as the prisoner struggled to sit up. 

"Who?" one asked, teasingly. "Deranged?" 

"Seems like a nice enough fella to me." the other guard supplied. 

"He's a model prisoner." 

Hiccup pulled himself to sit up and spat at the guards, pounding his fists into the floor. 

"You know what he's doing to me! P-please, I-I'm begging you!" 

He grunted as one of the guards landed a blow to his gut, sending him back to the floor. 

"Dagur's just being friendly." 

"Yeah, he likes you. You should take that as a compliment." 

The guards laughed at their own jokes as they locked the barred door and left Hiccup by himself in his cell. He heaved and retched, red liquid dripping from his lips as he pulled himself along the cold floor. He fell asleep at some time during the night after the retching had stopped, Astrid's name on his blood-stained lips as he drifted off into oblivion. 

(...) 

He awoke to the metallic noise of steel bars being pounded on. Bleary green eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cell as he dragged his aching body to sit. One of the guards from last night was glaring at him with a put off expression, keys jangling tantalizingly in his hand. 

"Wakey wakey, Haddock." he sneered. "Your other girlfriend's here." 

"Huh...?" 

The prisoner frowned, rubbing his forehead with a cracked hand. Sleep was calling him back to its embrace, warm darkness tempting an escape from reality, nagging at the back of his mind- 

"Hiccup!" 

A blonde blur moved in front of his vision as Astrid knelt in front of him, separated by thick bars. Hiccup dragged himself over to her and pressed himself up against the steel, watching worried blue eyes frantically scan over his bruised body, hands stretching between the bars to examine him. 

The scene in front of Astrid made her sick, bile rising over the lump in her throat as she examined her lover. This was not the Hiccup she had known before. This was not her kind, sweet Hiccup, the artist who wouldn't hurt a fly. He was a ghost of his former self, barely hanging on by a thread. He didn't look like himself, not how she had known him. He had always been scrawny, sure, gangly limbs and bony elbows, but he had never been _thin_. He was reduced to almost nothing now, a cowering skeleton of flesh and bone. Pale skin was covered in bruises, beautiful green eyes now bloodshot and obscured by dark circles. His bottom lip was split and swollen, blood dried on his chin. His auburn hair was matted and darkened with dirt, artist's hands blistered and red. His clothes were filthy, riddled with holes and torn, barely covering the freckled body that shivered underneath. And the smell...it was putrid, a mix of bodily fluids and the distinct, iron stench of blood. 

She reached forward slowly and carefully placed a hand over his bruised cheek. He winced slightly but leaned into the touch, hand coming up to cover hers. He managed a small, crooked smile, careful not to agitate his split lip. Astrid's eyes raked over his body, concern filling her features. Hiccup wished desperately for her to smile or punch him or tease him, do something other than give him that worrisome azure gaze. 

"Evening, Milady." he rasped out. Breathing still hurt his cracked ribs and he coughed at the pain, clinging desperately to Astrid's hand on his cheek. 

"Babe, what happened to your face? And your clothes...what can I do? I'll kill whoever did this to you- can I get some help over here please? Anyone!" 

"Shh, shh, Astrid." He pulled her closer, pressed a kiss against the inside of her wrist. "I need you to do something for me." 

"Anything. Anything you want, babe." 

He raised a shaking hand to brush her bangs from her face, savoring in the feel of her skin against his rough palms. 

"I-in my parents house. There's a gun hidden under the porch-" 

"What seems to be the problem, ma'am?" 

Astrid turned to the guard, nostrils flaring in rage and eyes narrowed. 

"What do you mean 'what's the problem'?! Look at him!" 

The guard offered a patronizing smile and Hiccup cowered, clutching one of Astrid's hand like an anchor. 

"He took a nasty fall down the stairs. He can be a bit clumsy, isn't that right, Haddock?" 

"That does not happen from a fall, that does not happen by accident!" 

The guard's expression hardened and his hand went to his night stick. 

"Visiting time's over." 

Hiccup took Astrid's face in his hands as the guard descended upon her, voice urgent and body shaking. 

"Just get me what I asked for, Ast, I'll take care of this." 

Astrid nodded quickly as the guard grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. She shook off his grip and shoved him back, an accusing finger digging into his chest. 

"You keep your hands off me! I am coming back here every day, do you understand? Every day!" 

The guard turned back to Hiccup as she left, grim features harboring that familiar, mocking smile. 

"I'll be back for you later," he spat. "Dagur the Deranged wants to see you again." 

(...) 

"Here's some things for Hiccup," Valka said, handing the paper bag over to Astrid. "It's just a pair of shoes and a book of Odin." 

Astrid accepted it graciously, offering a small smile to the woman. Stoick wrapped an arm around his wife and nodded to Astrid, that same stern look on his features as always. Valka took one of Astrid's hands in her own, squeezing generously. 

"I don't know what my Hiccup would do without you. You are the one ray of sunshine in his life. Well, you and Toothless." 

"I'll make sure he gets these, Valka. Stoick." 

The couple bid her goodbye as she made her way back to the prison, tucking the gun down the front of her dress. She was granted five minutes of visiting time by the guard at the door as he took the bag from her. She wasn't sure that he had any intention of ever giving the items to Hiccup, but if his plan worked, he wouldn't have time to get it to him anyway. She knelt in front of the cell once more and pulled him into a searing kiss, hands fisted in the front of his tattered shirt. He reciprocated gratefully, hands traveling up the bars to reach into the front of her dress and slip the gun into the waistband of his pants. She pulled away with a _pop_ and shot him a sly grin, pink lips swollen and mischievous. 

"I'll see you soon, babe." 

Hiccup grinned at her with a dazed expression, hand resting on the handle of the gun that was now safely tucked away. He had asked for a key to salvation and Astrid had taken on the roll of locksmith, providing his escape from eternal damnation. This Valkyrie had blessed him with a chance of a new life, and he was determined to spend the rest of it making it up to her. He winked as she strolled out, hips swaying as she went. He leaned against the bars and grinned like a madman, trailing after her with his eyes. He wanted to steal one last lingering look before he would set his plan in motion, one last glimpse at his love as he whispered an unheard promise from behind the bars. 

"See you soon, Milady."


	6. Too Late to Turn Back Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap of Chapter 5 for those who missed it: Astrid snuck a gun into the prison and helped Hiccup escape from jail- they are now at a safe house on the outskirts of Berk

"Astrid, are you sure about this?" 

Hiccup was nervous, she could tell. He had been fidgeting all day, gesticulating wildly through his endless ramblings. Astrid understood why- it was his first job since leaving Outcast, a job she had insisted she go along with. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Hiccup, but the poor boy was nervous as all Hel and frankly was not the best driver. She was needed for backup and was happy to do it, but her lover was still a nervous wreck. 

"Babe, you know I have all the faith in the world in you. But you know as well as I do that you need me there. And I want to help." 

"I just don't want you getting dragged into this-" 

Astrid silenced him with a gentle kiss, slender fingers coming down to adjust his jacket. Hiccup always insisted he wear his Sunday best when pulling jobs, and Astrid didn't mind one bit. He looked handsome in his brown suit, the green tie around his neck one that Astrid had gifted him when he came back from prison. He fumbled in his back pocket as he pulled away. Astrid kept her eyes closed, lips still searching for more contact. Cool metal was placed in her hands and she opened her eyes to see. Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck as she stared at the gun, green eyes bashful as he worried his lower lip between his teeth. 

"For your protection. We both know I'm useless with a gun." 

She traced the weapon with her fingertips, memorized where the safety switch was, how many bullets it could hold. She leaned up to plant a kiss on Hiccup's blushing cheek and smiled. 

"Thank you, Hiccup. It's beautiful." 

He grinned and placed a swift kiss on her lips, offering an arm. 

"Shall we, Milady?" 

(...) 

Astrid started going along on jobs somewhat regularly. If it was a routine hit- a mom and pop grocer, a dry cleaners, anything small- she was to stay in the car with Toothless. Small places had small bodily risks, but the chances of someone being able to remember their faces were high. Hiccup didn't want Astrid implicated in any way. She had protested of course, saying she was her own woman and could do as she damn well pleased. But it hurt her to see Hiccup so worried about her. So she only came along on big jobs, like banks or cars. Especially cars. His driving skills were still quite horrendous. 

Tonight was supposed to be a small job. A laundromat in Berserk, in an out, thirty minutes tops. He'd bring the gun- loaded, at Astrid's insistence-wave it around, get to the safe. He didn't even bring Toothless along to stand guard, that's how routine it was supposed to be. But the cashier was slow. Too slow, all shaking hands and fumbling keys. Twenty minutes turned into thirty, thirty into fourty. Finally, after an hour, half the money was in the bag. Hiccup always made sure not to take too much from family-owned places, just enough to keep the soup kitchen and his parents running until the next job. 

And then the cop showed up. A stupid, naive deputy trying to play the hero. He was just a kid, not much older than Hiccup himself. He had strode in with gun drawn, warning Hiccup to raise his hands and put the gun down. 

"I can't put the gun down if I'm raising my hands." Hiccup had retorted. The deputy- gods he looked nervous, his gun hand was shaking- did not appreciate the sarcasm, gesturing with his gun. 

"You know what I mean. Put the gun down and put your hands in the air." 

Gods, this was the last thing Hiccup had wanted. This guy was inexperienced and sloppy, a bundle of nerves. Nerves meant quick draws. Hiccup raised the gun, praying to Odin this kid would come to his senses. 

"You don't want to do this." Hiccup tried to calm him. The deputy shifted, eyes darting wildly around. His hand was shaking worse now, finger on the trigger. 

"I said drop it!" 

"I know you're not about to pull that trigger." he made slow steps back towards the door. "And I _really_ don't want to pull mine. So I'm just going to walk out of here-" 

Two shots rang out; the deputy had fired first. He missed by a mile, hitting a barrels to the right of the door. Hiccup fired as soon as he saw the trigger pull back, almost on instinct. He had his eyes closed when fired the shot. He should have kept them open, should have aimed just to injure, not to kill. But he didn't look, and the bullet went straight through the deputy's heart. It made Hiccup want to throw up, seeing a man die by his hand. He was just a boy, a stupid, reckless boy who stuck his nose in where he shouldn't have. All Hiccup wanted to do was help people, why did it always end up with someone hurt? 

Astrid was asleep by the time he arrived home. The sight broke Hiccup's heart, seeing her so peaceful. The pale blue slip complemented milky skin perfectly, long blonde hair loose and covering the pillow. Hiccup could hardly bring himself to look at her as he sat down on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. Toothless peeked up from his dog bed, letting out a low whine of concern for the distressed state of his friend. The bed shifted under Hiccup's weight, prompting Astrid to yawn and readjust as she was pulled from her dreams. 

"Babe? That you?" 

Her voice was soft and gentle with sleep, washing over the distraught boy like a wave. 

"Yeah," he rasped out, voice hollow. "It's me. Go back to sleep, Milady." 

"Mmm. Come to bed." 

Astrid patted the spot next to her , signaling him to join her. Still he didn't move, staring straight ahead and ignoring the concerned gaze of his dog. He heard the rustling of fabric behind him, felt Astrid's soft arms wrap around his shoulders, full lips placing kisses to the back of his neck. 

"What's wrong, babe? Your leg?" 

Hiccup placed a hand over one of her own, holding it against his chest. A kiss behind his ear sent goosebumps up his spine. 

"No. No, it's not that." 

"Mm." 

She helped him out of his jacket, delicate hands coming back around to unbutton his shirt. Sunday best, as always- this time a black suit and crisp white shirt, Astrid's favorite. 

"What is it then? Job didn't go as planned?" 

"Something like that." 

He paused Astrid's ministrations to place a kiss at her palm. His hands were shaking and his breathing was labored. She moved to sit at his side and brushed the hair back from his face, pretty face scrunched up in worry. 

"Hiccup? What happened, babe?" 

He took a shaky breath, taking one of Astrid's hand in his own. His skin was cold against hers, jacket and shirt removed and now shivering. 

"I killed someone, Ast." 

She moved the hand in his hair down to rest against the base of his neck as she sighed. 

"Hiccup, Dagur was doing horrible things to you, you had to-" 

"No." He removed her hand from his neck and placed it back in her lap, her touch suddenly burning on his skin. 

"This isn't about Dagur or Outcast. I killed someone tonight. A deputy, a stupid, stupid kid. It was supposed to be an easy job, but he came in and tried to be a hero. He was going to shoot me, he tried to shoot me. I didn't even realize I had my finger on the trigger before- before-" 

"Babe, babe, shh. Shh, it's okay." 

She took his face in her hands and peppered kisses to his forehead and jaw. He was breathing heavily now and sweat covered his brow as his body shook. Astrid did her best to calm him, whispering sweet honey in his ears and cooling his face with her lips. 

"It's okay, babe. You did what you had to do." 

He shook his head frantically, pulling away from her touch once more and ignoring her frown. His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, and Astrid had to strain to hear it. 

"You have to go." 

Azure eyes widened in disbelief. 

"What?" 

Hiccup stood and paced about the room, rambling without end. 

"You have to leave, while you still can. They don't know you're with me yet, you could go home. I'm sure your mother would be glad to have you back-" 

"Hiccup-" 

"Or you could settle down and get a nice house, I could give you some money for that. I'm sure my parents would appreciate your company, you could live with them-" 

"Hiccup!" She stood and grabbed his hands, stopping the pacing. He stared at her with frantic, bloodshot eyes. 

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you." 

"You don't understand!" 

She was taken aback. Hiccup _never_ raised his voice. He had never looked so...wild, so distraught. Even Toothless was on edge, whining and nudging his friend's false leg. Hiccup took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly. 

"I'll get the chair for this, Astrid. Either that or they'll lock me up for good, and I'd choose death before I go back to Outcast. If they find out you're with me, that you've been helping me..." 

He placed suddenly gentle hands on her forearms, green eyes pleading. 

"I don't want to think about what they would do to you. I can't let you get involved with this." 

"I'm already involved, babe." she soothed, bringing her hands back up to cup his face. He did not pull away this time, just rubbed circles into her arms with his thumb. 

"And you don't get to make this decision for me. I'm staying." 

"Astrid-" 

"I'm staying, Hiccup." 

He sighed, knowing the battle was lost. Astrid had always been stubborn and it was pointless to fight for a lost cause. 

"Okay. Okay." 

"You look tired, babe. Let's go to bed." 

Hiccup nodded, letting her pull him to the bed. She helped him into his sleep clothes and unfastened his leg, setting it gently against the wall. She rubbed some soothing cream on the stump and watched him visibly relax, tension finally escaping from his shoulders as he closed his eyes. 

"That feel better?" 

"Mm. Much. Thank you." 

She placed a kiss to his temple and guided him to lie down, her head on his shoulder. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her closer and breathing in her scent, her hand over his heart. She was asleep fast, hair tickling Hiccup's throat. He took her in as long as possible as sleep claimed his vision, but when he dreamt, he didn't dream of Astrid. Instead he saw a half full money bag and a dead deputy and prison bars, waiting eagerly to envelop him in their cold embrace once more.


	7. What Was Good Enough for You, Ma

"I have been worried sick about you!" 

Valka's voice was ragged and hoarse as she ran to greet her son, tears in her eyes. She placed her hands to his face, adjusted his jacket, doing everything she could to check him over. Hiccup placed his hands on her arms to comfort her, but she continued to fidget with him. 

"I'm okay, mom-" 

"And Astrid?" 

"She's fine." 

The intelligence seemed to calm Valka slightly, her hands moving to her son's hair in a desperate and futile attempt to flatten it down. It had been a trying time for the Haddocks- the police seemed to visit every day, lying in wait to catch Hiccup off guard. He had to sneak in early in the morning, just minutes after the first rays of sun had begun to show. Astrid had dropped him off in the wee hours of the morning and promised to be back within the hour. It was dangerous to stay any longer. The last thing Hiccup wanted to do was put his parents in harms way. 

Stoick had greeted Hiccup at the door silently with an unreadable expression across his face. The young man knew his father would be disappointed, would give the same speech of "why can't you just do as your told, Hiccup." But there were no speeches. Not even a wordless grunt to signal that the man had acknowledged his son's presence. Just a firm handshake and a small hint of pain behind stern eyes. And finally, when he did speak, it made Hiccup wish for the familiar lecture. 

"The papers have been saying you killed a police officer, son." the big man grunted out, voice barely above a whisper. Hiccup was forced to hang his head in shame as his mother looked between the two men. 

"Hiccup," Valka pleaded. "Tell me that isn't true." 

He didn't want to answer. He could hear the hurt in his mother's voice, begging him for reassurance. The Hiccup she knew was scared of his own shadow, would never hurt a fly. But that Hiccup had been gone for a long time, and the ghost that remained was being eaten away by guilt. 

"It was an accident, mom." he answered. "He went to shoot and my reflexes kicked in." Then, quieter: "It was either him or me." 

Valka brought a hand to her son's face and forced him to look at her. She was crying in full now, and Hiccup could have sworn he saw Stoick biting his lip. Valka stroked her son's cheek with her thumb, and the tender touch almost made him break down. It was more than he deserved, really. 

"This isn't the Hiccup I know." she murmured. "You haven't been the same since that prison." 

Hiccup verified this with a small nod of his head and placed a hand over his mother's. 

"It's not safe for you and dad while I'm here. I'll get a message to you soon, when we've figured out somewhere safe." 

Valka shook her head frantically and pressed her hand firmer into Hiccup's cheek. 

"You can't go yet, you've only just gotten here-" she turned to her husband, standing stock still at the door. "Stoick, say something!" 

Stoick managed to shake himself from his trance at his wife's words and slowly made his way over to the two of them. He placed a gentle hand on Hiccup's shoulder. 

"Write to us when you find the place, son." the big man said. "We'll meet you there when the time comes." 

Hiccup nodded up at his father, shocked at his reasonableness. The big man whispered something in her wife's ear and she placed a parting kiss to her son's cheek before going back inside. Hiccup swallowed and dug in his pocket as his father kept a paternal hand on his shoulder. 

"Here, dad." 

He held out a stack of bills to his father. Stoick glanced down at it briefly before shaking his head and pushing the money back towards Hiccup. 

"I can't take this, son." 

Hiccup thrusted the money towards his father once more. 

"Please. It's for you and mom. Please, just take the money." 

Stoick sighed and placed the bills in his coat pocket, and gave his son a brief pat on the back before heading inside, leaving Hiccup alone as he locked the door behind him. 

(...) 

Astrid came along on the job that night. It was a small bank down in Itchy Armpit- small enough to not alert the police, but far enough where they might need a quick escape, and Hiccup's driving skills were still a bit deplorable. Astrid handled the gun this time, and Hiccup was more than happy to let her take it. She was much calmer under pressure, not an expert marksman like her lover, but still quick to the draw and more purposeful with her aim. They couldn't afford another death, and the both of them knew that if she had come along that night, they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. They had both dressed up for the occasion- Hiccup in his crisp black suit (Astrid's favorite), and Astrid in a new blue dress and thick wool stockings, hair crafted meticulously into an intricate braid. 

Hiccup had gone in first, just to make sure there were no policemen inside already. Astrid followed when the coast was clear, gun drawn and ordering everyone to "get down or I'll shoot" which of course was a lie, but an effective threat nonetheless. She kept the gun trained on the crowd as Hiccup collected the money. One of the victims raised his hand. 

"Um...yes?" Astrid asked. The man smiled nervously and held up a pen and his newspaper. 

"Could I get your autograph, ma'am?" 

Astrid raised an eyebrow, but the look on the man's face swayed her, and she signed the newspaper. 

"Best wishes...Astrid and Hiccup." 

Hiccup frowned from where he was standing with the teller. 

"Hey, hey, why Astrid and Hiccup? Why not Hiccup and Astrid?" 

Astrid gave him a sly, sweet smile. 

"Oh babe, I think we know who really wears the pants in this relationship." 

It was hard to argue with that. As much as the newspapers wanted to paint Astrid as a simpering blonde, corrupted by Hiccup's charms, she was the real driving force behind the operation. She was the one with the gun, after all. 

Unfortunately for Hiccup, the teller used the moment of distraction to his advantage. He caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and moved to cover Astrid, his back to the teller. Four shots rang out: one from the teller and three from Astrid. The people in the bank screamed and ran for it as Hiccup dropped to his knees. The bank teller slid to the floor, three gaping holes in his right thigh. He'd live, but he was out of commission for now. Astrid quickly put the gun in its holster and threw Hiccup's arm over her shoulders. The distant sound of sirens was approaching and she could her Toothless barking his warning from the car. Hiccup was dead weight, leaning heavily on Astrid as she tried to haul him out to the car. 

"Come on babe, we gotta go." she urged to him. He groaned in pain and managed to take some of the weight, following her to the car while Toothless barked in his ears. 

He woke up back at the safe house; he figured he must have passed out during the drive. White hot pain laced its way into his consciousness, and something wet and sticky trailed down his back. Astrid was behind him, trying to get the bullet out. A yank of her hand sent pain coursing through Hiccup and he groaned. 

"Hiccup!" her hand was immediately off him at the sound of his voice. "I'm so sorry, babe, I thought you were still asleep." 

"Not...asleep." he managed to get out. He gripped the handles of the chair tight. 

"Just do it. I'll be okay, Ast." 

Astrid nodded shakily and positioned herself behind him, a light hand on the wound. 

"Ready?" 

Hiccup gave a small grunt. 

"Okay. One...two-" 

The bullet came out and sent Hiccup screaming. Toothless rested his head in his owners lap and licked at his thighs to soothe him while Astrid quickly cleaned the wound. Hiccup whined and bit his lip when she started stitching, and she pressed a kiss soothingly to his shoulder. 

"I know, babe, I know. Just a little bit longer." 

It seemed to go on for hours, but the stitching was finally done and the blood was all cleaned. Hiccup sat still as Astrid wiped off her hands and changed her dress, Toothless whining up at him. 

"You should have left me when you had the chance." he whispered. 

Astrid sighed and made her way over, tugging her night dress over her head. She knealt down to face Hiccup and placed a kiss to his forehead. He felt the cool leather of his journal being pressed into his hands as Astrid hummed and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Draw something for me, babe. That always cheers you up." 

Hiccup gripped the journal tight but made no move to open it. Astrid continued in her ministrations, twisting a braid into the hair at the nape of his neck. There was a little blood caked in- he'd need a bath later. She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek as she braided, pleading him to move. 

"Please, babe? I love it when you draw for me." 

"I don't know what to draw." he finally answered. 

At least he was talking. That was a start. He hadn't been this shaken since the last shooting, and definitely not this badly since Outcast. He had been making such great progress, too- but now his nightmares had returned and were filled with policemen and electric chairs. She tied off the braid with a cord and started working on another as he relaxed. 

"It can be anything. Anything you want." 

Hiccup nodded and began to draw. It was a simple sketch of Toothless, nothing special, but Astrid had placed a kiss to his temple and pinned it up on the wall anyway. It made Hiccup smile, to see her act so proud of him, even if most of it was for show to make him feel better. She had rolled her eyes when she caught him staring and swatted his chest playfully as she helped him up. 

"C'mon, old man," she had said with a smile. "You need a bath." 

And though it had been a hard day in a hard week and an even harder month, Hiccup cherished the little moments like these. Gods knew when they would ever get the opportunity to be like this again- not the notorious crime couple they were made out to be-just Hiccup and Astrid, the only two people in the world, at least for that moment. The gods owed them that much.


	8. Got a Feeling There Are Good Times Up Ahead

The couple had taken the day off. Hiccup was still recovering from the bullet wound, and the both of them were exhausted emotionally. They had a nice visit with their parents, promising to come back for Snoggletog next month. Hiccup had promised his mother one last job- one last robbery, and that was it. They would retire to somewhere safe, somewhere where their criminal records wouldn't be known. They'd get good jobs, buy a nice house with their savings. It would be as if the past year never happened. A fresh start. They were relaxing at home, Hiccup in the bath and strumming lazily at the ukulele. Astrid was sat upon the side of the tub, Toothless at her feet as she read a newspaper. 

"Can you believe this? Another newspaper called me a 'bodacious blonde.' Honestly, they think I'm just your arm candy." 

Hiccup gave her a lazy smile. 

"Well, you are quite bodacious." 

His lover rolled her eyes and swatted his shoulder with the newspaper, and he shrugged it off, a goofy expression on his face. 

"You're just partial." 

"Of course I am." 

Hiccup flashed his crooked smile and strummed the ukulele with purpose. 

" _I'll swim and sail on savage seas_ ," he began to sing. Astrid raised a blonde eyebrow and he just kept smiling at her. 

" _With ne'er a fear of drowning_." 

"Hiccup?" 

" _And gladly ride the waves of life, if you would marry me_." 

Toothless howled at his singing and Astrid laughed. 

" _No scorching sun, nor freezing cold. Will stop me on my journey _..."__

__"Oh babe you are so in love."_ _

__" _If you will promise me your heart_." _ _

__Astrid smiled and leaned in, brushing a sweet kiss against his lips. He felt one of his hands leave the uke and come up to cup her cheek, her forehead coming to rest against his._ _

__"Oh, I will babe."_ _

__(...)_ _

__Meanwhile in Berk, the police department was not having as pleasant a time as the young lovers did. They had been bickering for hours about how to apprehend the two criminals, and so far no one had come up with any good ideas._ _

__"I just don't understand it!" Alvin had cried. "They've been all over the Archipelago, but they always come back to Berk. But why come back to Berk?"_ _

__"We have eye witnesses that place them in Berk in April, and then again in October." Mala stated calmly. "But there were no crimes reported either of those times."_ _

__"So then what are they coming back to Berk for?"_ _

__Mala thought for a moment, face twisted in concentration. She scared Alvin when she slammed her hand on the desk, a triumphant look dancing in her eyes._ _

__"Thawfest."_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"They came back in April for Thawfest, and Astrid's mother's birthday is in October. It makes perfect sense."_ _

__"You're telling me two wanted murderers are risking their lives to see their parents?"_ _

__"It makes sense, Alvin. Get a wire tap on the phones and send scouts to both the parent's homes. We'll find out the next time they plan to meet and we'll apprehend them on the way."_ _


	9. A Short and Loving Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: character death in this chapter!

_Thank you for tuning in to Berserk FM Radio. And now, an old favorite: For the Dancing and the Dreaming_." 

"Oh, babe! That's our song!" 

Hiccup smiled as he watched his girlfriend get up and sway to the music. It had been a relaxed month, much slower in pace than the two had become used to. The police were starting to slow their patrols and kept quiet, but it didn't do anything to ease his mind. He knew that something was bound to blow up in their face at any moment. This was just the calm before the storm. But Hiccup couldn't keep the smile from his face as Astrid pulled him up and forced him to dance with her. Toothless was lazing in his doggy bed and panting at them with a silly doggy smile on his face. All was well in the safe house. The lovers danced to the song and sung the words to each other will lazy smiles and soft kisses. Hiccup was a terrible dancer, but Astrid encouraged him on anyway. It was a pleasant sight for Toothless to see, happy to see his friends having so much fun. 

But the dog sniffed something strange in the air. It was something unfamiliar, but it alerted something in the back of his mind. Toothless began to bark at his friends and nudged at Hiccup urgently when he bent down to calm him. 

"Toothless, bud, what's wrong?" 

The dog kept barking as Astrid peeked out the window behind him. 

"Uh, babe? We have a problem." 

Hiccup frowned and scratched behind Toothless's ears, trying to soothe his friend. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Police. They have us surrounded." 

Hiccup cursed under his breath and stood, pulling Astrid away from the window. He placed the gun in her hands and cupped her cheek. 

"We're going to have to shoot our way out, okay?" he said. Astrid nodded with a determined expression as she gripped the gun tightly. 

"I can handle it." 

"I know you can." 

He placed a kiss to her forehead and swallowed. 

"Astrid, if anything happens to me, take Toothless and run." 

"Hiccup-" 

"Please, Ast. I don't know what I'd do if you got caught because of me." 

Astrid shook her head and took his hand in hers. 

"I'm not leaving you. We're a team." 

Hiccup sighed and conceded the battle, knowing winning was impossible. He let her go and picked up his old gun, nodding to Astrid. Toothless stayed by his side and growled, ready for the attack. 

The first bullet came just moments later, crashing in through the window and shattering the glass. Everything after that was a blur as chaos erupted in the safe house. Hours must have passed with shooting back and forth, and both Hiccup and Astrid found themselves lost in their own heads as the battle raged around them. It wasn't until the silence fell that they came back to their bodies, the only sound being that of their own labored breaths. 

A low whine came from a corner and Hiccup rushed over. Toothless was lying on his side, something red and sticky covering his shiny black fur. Hiccup muttered assurances to the dog as he cried, holding his limp body to his chest. Toothless whined and licked his friend's face, trying to stop the flow of tears. Hiccup felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Astrid's voice, but it sounded distant. 

"Hiccup, we need to go _now_." 

Hiccup shook his head and held the dog closer. 

"I can't leave Toothless." 

"We don't have time, we need to go." 

"I won't leave him here to die, Astrid." 

"We can take him in the car. But we need to leave right now." 

Hiccup nodded dully and carried Toothless to the car. He let Astrid drive as he held his best friend in his lap, watching him take his last breaths as he cursed himself. This was all his fault. 

(...) 

They found another safe house in the odd hours of the morning. Somehow Astrid had convinced Hiccup to go to sleep, but it wasn't long before he was up again. He dug a shallow grave for Toothless, placing a large stone at the head for a marker. He hadn't washed the blood off yet, shirt and hands stained red. Astrid got him cleaned up and helped him change his clothes. Hiccup didn't' protest much after the burial. The tears that stained his cheeks had long since dried and now he just looked into the distance with a blank stare. 

He passed the rest of the day sitting on a crate, sketchbook and charcoal in hand but not being used. Astrid sat down next to him and gently took the items from his hands, slender fingers coming up to brush the hairs back from his forehead. 

"Hiccup, babe?" she whispered. He didn't give a response, hands now empty coming to fold in his lap. Astrid sighed and twisted a braid into his hair. 

It's going to take at least ten hours to get to Berk from here. We need to leave soon or our parents will be all alone in the middle of the woods. My momma's bringing mutton stew." 

"How am I going to face them?" came his response, voice cracked and hoarse. "I've done horrible things. I killed Toothless." 

"No, you didn't." 

"It's my fault. I should be dead too." 

Astrid sighed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. 

"Toothless died protecting you. He wouldn't want you to hide here forever." 

She placed a hand over his heart and turned her face to look him in the eye. 

"He would want you to be happy, Hiccup." 

Hiccup nodded a little and blinked the tears from his eyes, seeming to relax a bit. Astrid managed a small smiled and pecked his lips before she stood and offered a hand. 

"C'mon. We don't want to miss our parents." 

Hiccup took her hand and stood, pulling her into a deep kiss. She smiled against his lips and threaded her fingers through auburn hair as his hands came to rest against her hips. Hiccup pulled away with a small smile and lead her to the car. And as Astrid began to drive, he took one of her hands and threaded it with his own, whispering an "I love you" as they sped off into the distance. 

_Today we come to you with breaking news. The notorious crime duo, Hiccup Haddock and Astrid Hofferson, were gunned down by police officials at five o’clock this evening. They were ambushed while they were driving to visit their parents for Snoggletog. Mr. Haddock was killed instantly with a bullet to the chest, while Ms. Hofferson, who was in the driver’s seat at the time, was killed five minutes after, with six bullets to the torso. They will be buried together at the Berk Community Cemetery this Friday, with a service sponsored by the parents…_


End file.
